Billy Baldwin Reveals Why He Refused to Kiss Sharon Stone in ‘Sliver

Actor Billy Baldwin declared during a Tuesday podcast appearance that he will never work with Sharon Stone again, recounting intense on-set tension while filming their 1993 erotic thriller Sliver and detailing why he ultimately refused to kiss his co-star during their final scenes.

Here is the kicker: over three decades after the box-office release of Sliver, the friction between its lead actors continues to spill out into public view. On an episode of the Lisa Guerrero Unleashed podcast, Baldwin pulled back the curtain on the production, offering a stark counter-narrative to Stone’s past recollections regarding their working relationship.

The Bottom Line

• The Feud: Billy Baldwin stated on the Lisa Guerrero Unleashed podcast that he will never work with Sharon Stone again following their 1993 movie Sliver.
• The Kiss Refusal: Baldwin claimed the on-set tension grew so severe that he met with producers to demand he not be forced to kiss Stone during their final love scene.
• The Memoir Clash: The recent comments serve as the latest chapter in a long-running dispute stemming from claims made in Stone’s 2021 memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice.

Decoding the 1993 Set Dynamics on Sliver

Produced by Robert Evans, the production relied heavily on the palpable chemistry between its leads. But behind the scenes, the reality was entirely different.

According to Baldwin’s interview, the working dynamic soured almost immediately after production began. “We got along pretty well the first couple weeks,” Baldwin recalled on the podcast. “And then she wouldn’t say ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’ to me for the next three months.” The actor noted that the environment left everyone miserable as the psychological freezing-out took its toll.

Things reached a boiling point when the production schedule arrived at its fourth and final love scene. Baldwin stated he felt so deeply uncomfortable that he requested a meeting with producers. He told them he could complete the blocking of the scene, but drew a hard line at physical affection. “I can do the scene but just please don’t make me kiss her,” he told producers, adding, “I can’t kiss her.” That compromise ultimately shaped the iconic choreography of the scene where their characters hook up against a support column.

Challenging the Memoir Narrative and Producer Pressure

The feud gained renewed oxygen in recent years following disclosures in Stone’s 2021 memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, where she alleged that producer Robert Evans pressured her to sleep with Baldwin to enhance his on-screen performance. Baldwin firmly rejected that framing during his Tuesday sit-down.

Photo: pagesix.com

Instead, Baldwin claimed he was given a similar pitch, but interpreted it through the lens of mitigating on-set hostility rather than acting deficiencies. “He wasn’t talking about Sharon not being able to act,” Baldwin said, praising her screen presence. “He was saying, ‘I keep getting reports that there’s incredibly bad tension. We know what it’s all about. All this pent-up sexual energy tension. Just do it and get it over with.'”

Baldwin dismissed Stone’s account as a “lie,” criticizing her for publicly questioning his acting chops during promotional rounds on programs like Larry King Live back in 1993 and reiterating those criticisms decades later. Beyond the creative friction, Baldwin aired a series of colorful claims regarding Stone’s behavior on location, alleging she walked on crutches for days after he accidentally stepped on her foot mid-scene, and accusing her of keeping a trailer shrine featuring candles and pictures.

Industry Implications and the Shelf-Life of 90s Erotic Thrillers

Film / Project	Release Year	Key Talent	Reported Set Conflict
Sliver	1993	Sharon Stone, Billy Baldwin	Prolonged silent treatment, refusal to kiss on camera, memoir disputes

Despite the decades of bad blood and threats of exposing further details made when the feud flared up in 2024, Baldwin maintained a surprisingly conciliatory note toward the end of his podcast appearance. While confirming they have never spoken during chance encounters at airports or car shows, and noting that Stone’s representative did not respond to requests for comment from media outlets, Baldwin expressed a readiness to move forward. “I would love to bury the hatchet,” he said, noting a desire to eventually shake her hand or offer a hug.

What are your thoughts on actors drawing lines during intimate scenes, and does breaking industry silence decades later change how you view classic thrillers? Let us know in the comments below.